NFL owners gather starting today to begin work on naming a replacement for the retiring Paul Tagliabue.
By JOANNE KORTH, Times Staff Writer
Published March 26, 2006
Barely a week ago, the most exciting items on the agenda for the NFL's annual meeting were a few minor rules changes and some long-shot proposals.
Not anymore.
When commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced Monday his intention to retire in July, he turned a run-of-the-mill session into a critical juncture. Now everyone is buzzing about who will be next to run professional sports' most successful league.
Appointing a search committee and suggesting a timetable for identifying Tagliabue's successor will be a top priority when owners convene today through Wednesday at the Hyatt Grand Cypress in Lake Buena Vista. Tagliabue will lead the initial discussion on the process Monday afternoon.
"Certainly, the league meeting has become a lot more interesting with the commissioner's announcement," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. "A new committee will be established. The size, structure and role of the new special search committee will be matters for discussion."
The last time the NFL went through this, in 1989, it resulted in a six-month struggle. Several votes were taken before Tagliabue received the necessary majority. Jim Finks, then the Saints president and general manager, had been considered the favorite to succeed Pete Rozelle.
Approving a commissioner requires a two-thirds majority vote, 22 of 32 owners.
This time, the leading candidate is Roger Goodell, the NFL's executive vice president. The names of Falcons general manager Rich McKay and Ravens president Dick Cass also are prominent.
Tagliabue will serve until someone is approved and could remain as a consultant through May 2008, when his contract expires.
Other business on the agenda includes several proposals already discussed by the competition committee, co-chaired by McKay. The committee will distribute its report to owners Monday with voting to take place Tuesday or Wednesday.
Likely to be approved are two rules dealing with player safety, one designed to protect quarterbacks from "avoidable" low hits and another expanding last season's definition of an illegal horse-collar tackle to include pulling a player down by his jersey.
"The quarterback is in a defenseless position when he has both feet on the ground and he's throwing the ball," McKay said. "We have to find ways to try to protect him."
In an effort to improve the pace of games, a new rule could reduce the number of false start penalties by giving receivers who flinch a chance to reset before the snap.
Also, defenses could catch up to offenses with the advent of in-helmet radio communication between the sideline and one player, similar to the way quarterbacks receive play calls.
Unlikely to receive serious consideration are proposals by the Chiefs to expand the playoffs from 12 to 14 teams and by the Bucs to expand instant replay to include all penalties.
"I don't remember a proposal (before) on instant replay that sought to open up all penalties for review," McKay said. "It was interesting. We talked about it for a good while."
More likely is a rule that would address the review of down-by-contact plays.
Despite several botched calls during the playoffs that led to criticism of officials, McKay said overall it was "a very good year" for officiating.
He did say officials will be asked to see an entire foul before throwing a flag rather than react to a result and assume an infraction occurred.
